Hypericum plant named ‘Verputa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hypericum  plant named ‘Verputa’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; dark green leaves; yellow-colored fruits; good postproduction longevity; and resistance to Rust.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Hypericum androsaemumcultivar Verputa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum plant, botanically known as Hypericum androsaemum,commercially used as cut stems with fruits, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Verputa’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop cut Hypericum varieties with attractivefruit coloration.

The new cultivar originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 1998 of a proprietary seedling selection of Hypericumidentified as code number 21047, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Hypericum identified ascode number MP1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thecultivar Verputa was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2000 asa flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination ina controlled environment in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hypericum by terminal cuttings atWieringerwerf, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Hypericum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Verputa’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Verputa’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Yellow-colored fruits.    -   4. Good postproduction longevity.    -   5. Resistant to Rust.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the parent seedlingselections primarily in fruit coloration.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the Hypericumcultivar Excellent Flair, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands, plants of the new Hypericumdiffered from plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Hypericum did not sun scorch        whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair sun        scorched.    -   3. Fruits of plants of the new Hypericum were yellow in color        whereas fruits of plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair were        brownish red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hypericum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Hypericum.

The photograph on the first comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Verputa’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical fruits of ‘Verputa’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical flower with a developing fruit of ‘Verputa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Hypericum has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Quito, Ecuador, in an outdoor nursery and undercommercial production practices. Plants were about two years old. Thephotographs and description were taken during the spring with averageday temperatures of about 17° C. and average night temperatures of about11° C. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hypericum androsaemum cultivar Verputa.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Hypericum            androsaemum identified as code number 21047, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Hypericum            androsaemum identified as code number MP1, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 30 days at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Freely branching; medium thickness; grayed            orange in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Upright and outwardly spreading perennial woody            shrub; globular.        -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely basal branching;            dense and bushy growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 90 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 75 cm.        -   Quantity of stems per year.—About 15.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 11 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Strength: Moderate. Texture:            Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144C.        -   Foliage description.—Leaves opposite; single; sessile and            generally symmetrical. Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About            2.6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse to acute. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous;            slightly rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:            Developing leaves, upper surface: 141A. Developing leaves,            lower surface: 141C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            137A; venation, 145B to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: 138B; venation, 139D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Bright yellow single flowers arranged            in terminal compound umbels with about eleven flowers per            umbel; about 24 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch.            Flowers not fragrant. Flowers not persistent. Flowers face            mostly upright.        -   Natural flowering season.—Summer, typically July in            Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands; flowering period typically            lasts about 35 days.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Cut flower are typically harvested            when all flowers have developed fruits. Postproduction            longevity of cut stems with fruits is about two weeks.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 6 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 13A; towards apex, N30C.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.4 cm. Depth: About 1.4 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 1.2 cm.            Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Broadly elliptic to broadly            obovate. Aspect: Concave. Apex: Obtuse to acute. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: Developing and fully            expanded petals, upper surface: 15B; color does not fade            with subsequent development. Developing and fully expanded            petals, lower surface: 16C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 1 cm.            Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovate. Aspect: Convex. Apex:            Obtuse to acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color:            Developing and fully expanded sepals, upper surface: 144C.            Developing and fully expanded sepals, lower surface: 145A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm.            Orientation: Erect to about 10° from vertical. Strength:            Moderately strong. Color: 138D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm.            Orientation: Erect to about 60° from vertical. Strength:            Moderately strong. Color: 138D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 70            to 80. Stamen length: About 1.1 cm. Filament color: 13A.            Anther shape: Broadly ovate. Anther length: About 0.5 mm.            Anther color: 23C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            23C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Three. Pistil length:            About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Globular. Stigma color: 63A. Style            length: About 3 mm. Style color: 154C. Ovary color: 154C.        -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Days to ripening:            About 25. Longevity on the plant: About 30 days. Type:            Capsule. Shape: Ellipsoidal. Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter:            About 1.1 cm. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 2C; towards            the apex, 167B.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: More than 100. Length: About            0.8 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth; glabrous.            Color: 199A to N199A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been    observed to be resistant to Rust. Plants of the new Hypericum have    not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens    common to Hypericum.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from −15 to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant named ‘Verputa’, as illustrated and described. 